New Hampshire candidate backs down on abortion threats

August 23, 2012|Reuters

By Ros Krasny

BOSTON, Aug 23 (Reuters) - A Republican candidate in NewHampshire backed down on Thursday from a suggestion he would use"deadly force" to stop doctors from performing abortions, sayinghe "let his imagination get out of control."

Frank Szabo, who is running for sheriff in HillsboroughCounty, caused a uproar with his threats to crack down on legalabortion with arrests, prosecution and further actions aimed atdoctors.

"Deadly force is always a last resort," Szabo said ininterview with the television station WMUR on Wednesday. "Whywould anyone object to the use of deadly force to prevent themurder of an unborn human?"

Facing a firestorm of criticism from Republicans andDemocrats within his state, and after his comments were widelydistributed via social media, Szabo retracted his remarks in apress release.

"I made several comments about the use of deadly forceagainst abortion doctors that I regret, that I apologize for andthat I fully retract," Szabo said.

Szabo's heated rhetoric came at a time when the RepublicanParty is already dealing with fallout from comments by ToddAkin, candidate for the U.S. Senate from Missouri, suggestingthat women rarely get pregnant from "legitimate" rape.

Akin's remarks also put the focus back on earlier attemptsby Republicans in Congress to parse the definition of rape bydistinguishing between "forcible" and other rapes whendetermining a woman's access to abortion.

Responding to Szabo's comments Kevin Smith, Republicancandidate for New Hampshire governor, said on Twitter that therewas "no place" for Szabo's "dangerous" views.

Although Wednesday's comments escalated the rhetoric, Szabohas made clear for weeks his anti-abortion views and plans tocrack down on doctors performing abortions.

"Abortion on demand is murder. Once elected, Sheriff Szabowill arrest anyone involved in the murder of a citizen ofHillsborough County," the candidate said in a news releaseearlier in August.

In his apology Szabo said he "respects the life of doctors,and tried to remake his floundering campaign.

"As sheriff, when the moral waters are murky, I would alwaysair on the side of prudence. This isn't the 19th century."

Szabo, a resident of Goffstown, has made it clear in earliercampaign releases that he "decidedly" does not have lawenforcement or legal experience. In the past he owned andoperated a limousine service.

On his campaign website Szabo vows to be a "protector."

"It's all about property. You want to keep it. Someone elsewants to take it," Szabo's platform states.

Hillsborough is New Hampshire's most populous county,including much of Manchester, the state's largest city, andNashua, just over the border with Massachusetts.